Shoulder-brace



(No Model.)

H. E. MATTHEWS.

SHOULDER BRAGE.

No. 514,834. Patented Feb. 13,1894.

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THE NATIONAL unwanAPHma COMPANY.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

HANNAH E. MATTHEWS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SHOULDER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,834, dated February13, 1894'.

Application filed August 29, 1892. Serial No. 444,458. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HANNAH E. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shoulder-Braces, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates toimprovements upon the shoulder brace secured tomeby Letters Patent of the United States, No. 468,425, issued February 9,1892; and its objects are: first, to provide a means of securing theshoulder cap of my brace in position at the point of the shoulder; and,second, to cure such deformities as may exist in the back or side of thewearer, along the lower, and outer lines of the scapula. I attain theseresults by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1. is a front perspective of a ladys form, in outline, showingthe front portion of my device. Fig. 2. is a back perspective of thesame, showing the back of my device; and Fig. 3. is the same with a sidesection attached.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The shoulder straps A, the padded section B, the caps C, the webbing Dthe under arm straps E, the belt G, the backs J and their lacings areold, and shown in my former patent hereinbefore referred to. Theadditional elastic webbing D, the under-arm straps F, the-gores H, theform of the end e of the padded section B, the side pieces J, and thetying of the lacing at I constitute the main features of my presentinvention.

In practice, I find that a great many persons,especially those offoreign parentage,- are more or less deformed along the lower-laterallines of'the scapulas, and that the use of an ordinary shoulder brace,tends to aggravate, rather than to remedy these deformities. To overcomethese difficulties: first, I attach a narrow gore H, made of any pliablematerial, as cotton or linen cloth, to the backs J, of the braces,substantially of the form, and in the position indicated in Fig.

' 2. and attach the ends of the under arm strap E to the back portions,and to this gore at the widest point. By this means the entire laterallines of the scapula is covered by a pliable band which being attachedto the rigid back of the brace, adjusts itself to the deformity, andacts thereon so pliably and gradually that, in most instances, thedeformity is soon reduced without inconvenience to the wearer, and theform of the gore is such that it draws equally-upon the back its entirelength. Second, I then attach an elastic web D, at one end to the backof the brace, from the upper end of the gore to the upper, outer cornerof the back portions, and at the other end to the shoulder cap 0. Thisweb acts the double purpose: first, of holding the upper lateral line ofthe back portions J in position to support the scapula directly back ofthe arm pit; and, second, of holding the cap 0, down over the shoulderso that the shoulder strap A cannot by any possibility slip up over theshoulder toward the neck. This element alone will often reduce a slightdeformity along the upper lateral line of the scapula.

When a deformity along the lower lateral line of the scapula is veryprominent, I sometimes find it necessary to attach a second strap F tothe sectionB of the shoulder strap outside of the strap E, and, passingit under the arm, attach it to the back portions, as at f a little belowthe end of the strap E. To do this I find it necessary to cut the end ofthe section B, at e, ata sharp angle 'to give greater breadth to receiveboth straps E and F. When a prominent deformity exists upon the side,beyond the reach of the gore H, I have found it necessary to attachthe'side pieces J to the back and attach the strap F to this piece,instead of to the back J. A gore H, similar to H, may be attached tothis side piece; and, also, a corset front if desired.

To render these straps, &c., effectual, it is necessary to hold thelacings in the back portions, upon the line of the straps E. F. rigid,and for this purpose I tie two or more knots, as at I, in them, so thatthey cannot slip in the eyelets and allow the back portions to spread atthis point. I hold the lower ends of the back portions to position bymeans of the belt G attached in the usual way. I connect the shoulderstraps to. the backs with elastic webbing D and provide them with thepadded sections B as described in my patent of February 9, 1892,hereinbefore referred to.

The advantages thatIclaimfor my present shoulder brace over others are,first, that the use of the additional elastic web D prevents theshoulder cap from sliding up over the point of the shoulder; second,that the use of the two arm straps E and F, instead of one, togetherwith the knots I in the lacing, adj usts the back more perfectly to theform of the wearer, and hold the shoulder strap 13 in better positionthan can be done with the use of a single strap; and, third, the use ofthe gore H and the additional side pieces J, together with the two armstraps, renders it possible to reduce serious deformities, upon parts ofthe person covered by them, which cannot be attained with any shoulderbrace or corset now in use without great inconvenience to the wearer.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination in a shoulder brace, of a back portion, shoulderstraps flexibly connected therewith, an'arm strap, and a shoulder cap;of an elastic web connected at one end with the back edge of theshoulder cap and at the other end with the lateral edges of the backportion, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination in a shoulder brace, of the back portions, shoulderstraps flexibly at tached thereto, arm straps, and shoulder caps; withan elastic web connecting the shoulder caps with the outer edges of theback portions, and a flexible gore attached at one edge to the edge ofthe back portions, and the other edge connected with the arm strapsubstantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a shoulder brace, of back portions, shoulderstraps elastically connected to the upper ends of the back portions andterminating in under arm straps the free ends of one pair of whichattached to a flexible gore on the back portions, and of the other pairto the back portions, flexible gores attached to the outer edges of theback portions, said shoulder straps provided with shoulder caps whichare connected to the back portions by elastic bands, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in a shoulderbrace, of back portions having strapselastically con nected with their upper ends, padded sections upon saidshoulder straps and under-arm straps upon the ends thereof, a flexiblegore upon the outer edges of the back portions, the free end of one ofthe under-arm straps being connected by buckle with said gore, and theother with the back portion, and a series of knots tied in the lacingbetween the back portions, upon the line of the under arm straps,substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination,ina shoulder brace, of back portions, shoulder strapselastically connected with the upper ends thereof, and under-arm strapsupon the free ends of said shoulder straps; with shoulder caps attachedat one edge to said shoulder straps and connected, at the other edgewith the back portions by means of an elastic webbing, flexible goresupon the outer edges of the back portions arranged to receive the freeends of the under-arm straps and a series of knots in the lacing betweenthe back portions upon the line of the under-arm straps, substantiallyas, and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination in a shoulder brace of back portions, shoulder strapselastically connected with the upper ends of the back por- 8o tions andhaving shoulder caps attached and under-arm straps; with flexible goresattached to the outer edges of the back portions, side supports, andauxiliary under-arm straps, substantially as specified.

7. The combination, in a shoulder brace, of back portions laced togetherat the center line, shoulder straps elastically connected with the upperends of the back portions, and having shoulder caps attached, under-arm9o straps attached to the shoulder straps, flexible gores attached tothe outer edges of the back portions and arranged to receive the freeends of the under arm straps, side supports attached to the outer edgesof the back 5 portions, auxiliary under arm straps, and a series ofknots in the lacing between the back portions upon the line of theunder-arm strap, substantially as specified.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 17th day of August, 1892.

HANNAH E. MATTHEWS.

In presence of- M. PURvIs, I. J. OILLEY.

